06/08/2026
Someone has to do the dirty work! While photographing birds, I spotted what I first thought was a rock moving across the ground at a surprisingly fast pace. A closer look revealed a dung beetle rolling its prize. I’m no beetle specialist, but I believe this is a Common Tumblebug.
Dung beetles are true ecosystem engineers, recycling nutrients back into the soil, aerating the ground, and dispersing seeds. They’re also considered among the world’s strongest insects, capable of pulling more than 1,000 times their own body weight.
In 25 years as a professional photographer, I had never photographed a dung beetle rolling dung, making this an especially exciting morning in the field. Long ago, I learned never to pass up a good photo opportunity, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, especially when nature presents it to me.
